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What’s New? Introducing Netball

As part of the new and exciting schedule for the 2018 School Games, Netball is making its debut!

Having particularly flourished as a popular sport for young girls in the last couple of decades, there are limited pathways into high-level Netball, with little coverage and recognition.

Expanding the platform for talented young teams to grow and excel is vital, as even in England, where Netball was created and is well-known, most international Netballer's have to keep other professional jobs alongside their sporting career!

Fun fact: The Netball World Championships are held every 4 years, just like the Olympics, bringing some of the world's most talented and inspiring players to the world stage.

With seven players on court at all times, each team aims to score in their designated hoop. With the player’s positions determining where they are allowed on court, endurance and stamina is needed for this end-to-end game. Its three-second rule ensures fast-paced and thrilling action.

Balance, accuracy and agility are also key athletic skills needed for Netball, with teamwork and hand-eye coordination at its heart.

Netball has played a vital part in the inclusion of women in sport and, while Netball does allow for mixed teams, the event is primarily played by women. Although it gained Olympic recognition in 1995, it has never been selected for the Summer Olympics; at Rio 2016, events for both sexes in Rugby Sevens and Golf were chosen instead.

Fun fact: Netball is traced as far back as the 1890s, in England, where it was adapted from an early version of Basketball.

Netball is, however, included in the Commonwealth Games –with School Games alumna making an appearance on court!

Wales’ star defender Fern Davies took to the swimming pool in the 2007 School Games National Finals.

Despite missing out on the semi-finals, Wales have ended their Commonwealth Games on a high-note with an impressive win against Fiji, ending at 81-32, which saw them finish in 11th place.

Fern had come close to another alumna on court recently, as Wales faced England back in the quarter-finals.

It was the England team took the Commonwealth GOLD after a nail-biting final which saw England win 52-51, scoring the all-important point in the last second!

Australia and New Zealand has dominated every final in the sport since it was included in the Games, back in 1998. Shaking the sport into a new world order, it’s safe to say the world has its eye on England Netball! With England’s first Commonwealth gold in the sport, the next generation of talented Netballers will no doubt be more inspired than ever to reach the top spot at this year’s School Games National Finals.